Petit Jean State Park - Rock House Cave
The Ancient Art of Rock House Cave
Not a cavern in the classic sense, Rock House Cave is a large and deep rock shelter high atop Petit Jean Mountain. The
walls of the cave offer a unique opportunity to explore ancient Native American art that experts believe is more than one
thousand years old. The paintings, or pictographs, illustrate animals, "bear claws" and other unknown symbols. The cave is
a protected part of Petit Jean State Park.
A view of the entrance to Rock House Cave.
Archaeologists believe the shelter was used by
Native Americans for thousands of years.
This view was taken from inside the shelter looking
out and provides a good idea of the depth of the
unique cave-like feature.
A display panel at the entrance to Rock House Cave
illustrates some of the paintings and explains what is
known about them and the people who painted them.
This is a view of the back wall of Rock House Cave.
The paintings are arrayed along this wall at irregular
intervals.
Photographic Tour
Experts who have studied the paintings generally
agree that they are less than 2,000 years old,
although no one knows for certain.
Many of the paintings have become faded with time,
but others are still quite distinct. They are easier to
see with a light or camera clash.
This is a close-up of a "bear claw" painting on the
wall of Rock House Cave. This symbol can also be
seen to the right in the photograph at left.
This photograph illustrates some of the better
preserved paintings in Rock House Cave. No one is
certain what the central symbol represents.
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